For a student to be successful in college English, he or she must understand that there is an intimate relationship between reading and writing. One skill strengthens the other. Competent readers create competent writers. The challenge is universal: How do we transition students from high school to college English? I would like to say I have the answer, but the answer changes with every class and every semester. There is no fixed model and I understand that my model will constantly evolve and reflect the needs of my students. I create my own reader for students and while I was creating my own reader for an English composition class, I found an article titled, "How to Mark a Book" by Mortimer Adler. In essence, what Adler discusses in his article is how to become an active reader, which he calls owning a book. This resonates with me because I encourage my students to not just read the text, but to discover its hidden meanings or to actively read. Adler says, “Full ownership comes only when you have made it part of yourself…by writing in it.” It seems simple, but for many students this is not the case. I understand that when students read, they will organically pause on a passage that strikes them, but they don't know what to do with the pause. I encourage them to highlight this section and answer the questions: “What stands out?” and “Why does it stand out?” I invite them to write their answers in the margin and use the margins to ask additional questions. If a student doesn't want to write in their books, I encourage them to use a reading journal. Why is this important? Adler states, and I agree: “First, it keeps you awake... second, reading, if it is active, is thinking, and thinking tends to express itself in words, spoken or written... . half of the paper......writing and essays in class. For example, a four-page argumentative essay on how the United States of America would be different if there was no First Amendment. Throughout the semester, students build a database in which they can synthesize their readings and writings with primary and secondary sources, along with opposing viewpoints, to generate their eight-page research essay. This statement is part of my teaching philosophy today. I know that as I gain more experience attending workshops and seminars, my knowledge of academic discourse will evolve as will my teaching philosophy. I will not be a static instructor. I will always remain a student of academic discourse, and as I learn, I will adapt and pass on my knowledge to my students. After all, this was a key component of why I left the family business to become an adjunct college English teacher.